JUDY WILLIS, M.D Education • Build phonemic awareness • Manipulate patterns to improve reading skills • Improve reading fluency • Combat the stress and anxiety that can inhibit reading fluency • Increase vocabulary • Overcome reading difficulties that can interfere with comprehension Teaching the Brain to READ Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension When is th es tor yt ak i ng WILLIS ? ce pla By enriching your understanding of how the brain processes language, emotion, and other stimuli, this book will change the way you understand and teach reading skills—and help all your students become successful readers READ As a classroom teacher who has also worked as a neurologist, Judy Willis offers a unique perspective on how to help students not only learn the mechanics of reading and comprehension, but also develop a love of reading She shows the importance of establishing a nonthreatening environment and provides teaching strategies that truly engage students and help them Teaching the Brain to Reading comes easily to some students, but many struggle with some part of this complex process that requires many areas of the brain to operate together through an intricate network of neurons TeachingBrain2Read.indd Browse excerpts from ASCD books: www.ascd.org/books in to i Ch STUDY GUIDE ONLINE ords Getting rie nce ex on pe d se ba Alexandria, Virginia USA d nd quickly tely a Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development uc or ea a cur ac $23.95 U.S ins ies gor alread y have cate and graduate schools re n’s bra going back to school to become a teacher She has taught in elementary, middle, ld Barbara, California She was in private practice as a neurologist for 15 years before w ith hw yt xt te Judy Willis is a board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher in Santa y is t h e a bilit Fluenc ba ck gro und , previo knowledg us p nd e, a t as 7/18/08 10:57:48 AM Teaching the Brain to READ JUDY WILLIS, M.D Teaching the Brain to READ Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Alexandria, Virginia USA Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development 1703 N Beauregard St • Alexandria, VA 22311-1714 USA Phone: 800-933-2723 or 703-578-9600 • Fax: 703-575-5400 Web site: www.ascd.org • E-mail: member@ascd.org Author guidelines: www.ascd.org/write Gene R Carter, Executive Director; Nancy Modrak, Director of Publishing; Julie Houtz, Director of Book Editing & Production; Deborah Siegel, Project Manager; Greer Beeken, Senior Graphic Designer; Mike Kalyan, Production Manager; Marlene Hochberg, Typesetter Copyright © 2008 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from ASCD Readers who wish to duplicate material copyrighted by ASCD may so for a small fee by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, USA (phone: 978-750-8400; fax: 978-646-8600; Web: www.copyright com) For requests to reprint rather than photocopy, contact ASCD’s permissions office: 703-575-5749 or permissions@ascd.org Translation inquiries: translations@ascd.org Printed in the United States of America Cover art copyright © 2008 by ASCD ASCD publications present a variety of viewpoints The views expressed or implied in this book should not be interpreted as official positions of the Association All Web links in this book are correct as of the publication date below but may have become inactive or otherwise modified since that time If you notice a deactivated or changed link, please e-mail books@ ascd.org with the words “Link Update” in the subject line In your message, please specify the Web link, the book title, and the page number on which the link appears PAPERBACK ISBN: 978-1-4166-0688-8 ASCD product #107073 s8/08 Also available as an e-book through ebrary, netLibrary, and many online booksellers (see Books in Print for the ISBNs) Quantity discounts for the paperback edition only: 10–49 copies, 10%; 50+ copies, 15%; for 1,000 or more copies, call 800-933-2723, ext 5634, or 703-575-5634 For desk copies: member@ascd.org Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Willis, Judy Teaching the brain to read : strategies for improving fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension / Judy Willis p cm Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-4166-0688-8 (pbk : alk paper) Reading Reading—Physiological aspects Brain I Title LB1573 W544 2008 428.4—dc22 2008015658 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 10 11 12 To my mom, Norma Allerhand, whose love of reading is only exceeded by the love she has for her family Teaching the Brain to Read Preface viii Acknowledgments xiv Introduction 1 From Syllable to Synapse: Prereading Through Decoding 11 Patterning Strategies 22 Fluency Building from the Brain to the Book 47 Eliminating Barriers on the Road to Fluency 68 Vocabulary Building and Keeping 80 Successful Reading Comprehension 126 Conclusion 157 Glossary 159 References 163 Index 170 About the Author 175 Preface In 1990, George Bush signed a proclamation declaring that the upcoming decade would be “The Decade of the Brain.” The proclamation stated that the coming years would “Enhance public awareness of the benefits to be derived from brain research appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.” In fact, the amount of learning-related brain research completed in that decade through neuroimaging exceeded all prior brain imaging studies devoted to educational research Yet with all the data from that decade and the continued research of the past seven years, the scientific and educational communities have not reached agreement on the best way to teach reading What the research has provided is a wealth of information about how the brain responds to the written word, which areas of the brain are most active during the complex processes of reading, and some of the strategies that seem to increase brain activity and efficiency The most difficult part is to correlate brain scan activity with objective qualitative improvement in reading skill The educational literature is saturated with reading controversies that sometimes mix fact with opinion or interpret data with biased, propitiatory interpretations The goal to strive for is objective data from functional brain imaging that objectively correlates with cognitive response to specific reading strategies The more information provided from the research about how the brain learns to read better, more efficiently, and with more viii Preface intrinsic motivation, the greater the expectations that will be placed upon teachers to keep up with this research information and the strategies that are derived from it Parents read about reading breakthroughs in parenting books and magazines and don’t hesitate to express their expectations to their children’s teachers and school administrators Rightfully so In the 15 years I practiced adult and child neurology before returning to university for my teaching certification and Master of Education degree, I expected parents to be active partners in my neurological evaluations and treatments of their children As I’ve written before, no parent of a child with epilepsy ever came to my neurology office and said, “Just what you think is best without explaining my child’s condition or your approach to me Whatever happens to my child is all in your hands because you are the expert neurologist and I’m just the parent.” If parents were so removed from their child’s medical care I would have been concerned about that child’s well being Similarly, as teachers we can and should expect parents to be advocates for their children, especially with the most critical of all academic skills—reading With this book I will offer a background in the brain research related to how the “average” brain is activated sequentially as data passes along neuronal networks to the multiple processing centers that are engaged in sequence from the time print is seen on a page to various culminating actions such as verbal or written response to what was read (reading comprehension and critical analysis) Just as physicians are not specialists in all fields, general educators cannot become experts in all areas of reading difficulties and differences There will always be the need for reading specialists Yet, just as involved parents become allied with the physician to partner in their children’s medical care, teachers with an understanding of the research about reading problems and remedial strategies will be in the best position to partner with the reading specialists, families, and students to make the process of learning to read as successful as possible It will then fall primarily upon classroom teachers to use the art of teaching to instill in their students the love of reading ix References Fiebach, C., Vos, S., & Friederici, A (2004) Neural correlates of syntactic ambiguity in sentence comprehension for low and high span readers Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16(9), 1562–1575 Fielding–Barnsley, R (1997) Explicit instruction in decoding benefits children high in phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge Scientific Studies of Reading, 1(1), 85–98 Foorman, B (1995) Research on ‘‘The Great Debate’’: Code-oriented versus whole language approaches to reading instruction School Psychology Review, 24(3), 376–392 Friederici, C., Vos, S., & Friederici, A (2004) Neural correlates of syntactic ambiguity in sentence comprehension for low and high span readers Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16, 1562–1575 Gabrieli, J., & Preston, A (2003) Working smarter, not harder Neuron, 37(2), 191–192 Gardner, H (1983) Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences New York: Basic Books Gardner, H (1999) 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learning to read American School Board Journal, 193(6), 40–42 Wigfield, A (1994) The role of children’s achievement values in the selfregulation of their learning outcomes In D H Schunk & B J Zimmerman (Eds.), Self-regulation of learning and performance: Issues and educational applications (pp 101–124) Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum Willis, J (2005) Highlighting for understanding of complex college text The National Teaching and Learning Forum Wolf, M., Goldberg, A., O’Rourke, A., Gidney, C., Lovett, M., Cirino, P., & Morris, R (2002) The second deficit: An investigation of the independence of phonological and naming-speed deficits in developmental dyslexia Reading and Writing, 15, 43–72 Yaniv, D., Vouimba, R., Diamond, D., & Richter–Levin, G (2003) Amygdala in brain function Journal of Neuroscience, 23(11), 4406–4409 169 Index activating prior knowledge, 129–130 affective filter (amygdala), 82, 85–91 alphabetic principle, 20, 23 amygdala, 69, 79, 82 angular gyri, 19 angular temporal gyri, 15 assessment progress vs product, 68–69 using, 24 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 94 axons, 93–94 background knowledge, 132 Ballard, Melissa, 154–155 big picture, 130, 132 Blau, Sheridan, 153 bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, 64 book reports, 74 brain-based learning research evaluation of, 6–9 future prospects, 157–158 Guided Reading (software), 66–67 imaging techniques, 2–3 intervention selection, 66–67 metaphor construction activity, 106 multiple reading networks, 48–49 peer review, reading comprehension, 149 The Reading Works (software), 66–67 regional brain subspecialization, 49–50 brain-based learning research (continued) sources of, and information from, 4–6 standards and practice, 44–46 visual and verbal memory, 117 vocabulary building, 91–93, 100, 106, 122–123 brain development, infant, 13 brain glitch theory, brain plasticity, 35–36 brain wave speed measurement (qEEG), 18, 49 Broca’s area, 12, 15, 117, 149 categorization brain activity and, 49 and meaning, 31–33 as patterns, 27–30 and vocabulary building, 103–105 celebrations, unit, 76 Challenge and Exploration, as theme, 72–76 Chinese language reading, 15 choice, in materials, 75–76 choral reading, 59 classroom environment, 68–69 cloze sentences, 114 compare and contrast, 137–138 compound word formation, 26–27 comprehension See reading comprehension 170 Index computers building patterning skills with, 42–44 and fluency practice, 77–78 recording software, 62 software, 62, 66–67, 77–78 concept definition maps, 113–114 cultural load, 102–103 decoding words, 127, 128 dendrites, 36, 93–94 differentiation, 4, 54–55 discussion, student-centered, 69–71 dopamine, 60, 79, 93–98 dorsal posterior reading system, 15, 19 electronic whiteboards, 77 electrophysiological methods, 17 emotions, and performance, 69, 85–91 English Language Learners, 89, 90, 101–102 Ethics, as theme, 71–72, 112–113 event-related potentials (ERPs), 17 explicit memory, 148 flashcards, 54, 99, 113 foreign language instruction, 124 frontal lobe, 94 frontal reading system, 14 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and memory studies, 148 and parallel reading networks, 48–51 uses of, 2–3 GarageBand, 62 Gardner, Howard, 62 gaze-following, 13 glucose metabolism, brain, 3, 5–6 graphic organizers, 30 KWL, 39–42, 130, 133–134 reading comprehension, 141–142 vocabulary building, 113–114 web sites for, 142 grouping, 54 Guided Reading (software), 66–67 guided rereading, 56–57 hemoglobin, high-frequency words, 98–99 highlighting text, 152–155 hippocampus, 22, 56, 117 homework, 121 human development, illustrations, 109–110 imitation learning, 12–14 implicit memory, 148 independent reading, 121–123 infant brain development, 13 inferences, 138 Input Hypothesis, 91–92, 122–123 instructional strategies building memory for comprehension, 148–152 categorization, 27–30, 103–105 category and meaning activity, 31–33 dopamine release, 95–98 evaluating success of, 44–46 fluency-building, 59–67 highlighting text for comprehension, 152–155 informed by research, 4–6 note taking, 146–147 patterning, 23–24, 105–108 phonemic awareness, 19–21, 25–27 prediction and patterning, 37–42 reading comprehension, 135–139 repetition, 25 vocabulary and patterning, 105–108 vocabulary review, 118–122 vocabulary word preview, 101–102 intelligence, and reading, 17–18 interest inventories, 73, 83, 84 International Consortium for Brain Mapping (ICBM), 157 interpersonal intelligence, 65 intrapersonal intelligence, 65 journals See literature logs KWL activities, 39–42, 130, 133–134 language bath, 90 language development, 2, 12–14 171 172 TEACHING THE BRAIN TO READ learning styles discovering, 131 redundant instruction to accommodate, 28–29 and vocabulary building, 115–116 linguistic intelligence, 63 listening competence, 115 literature, rich and meaningful, 122–123 literature logs, 144–145 logical-mathematical intelligence, 63–64 lower frontal lobe, 16 naturalist intelligence, 62 neocortex, 11 neuroimaging applicability to reading research, 4–6 extent of information through, 7–8 techniques, 2–3 neuron networks, 30–31 neurotransmitters, 93–98 See also dopamine No Child Left Behind, note taking, 145–147, 152–155 magnetoencephalography (MEG), 17 Mazziotta, John, 157 memory and brain plasticity, 36 building activities, 150–152 mnemonics, 151–152 neural connections and long-term, 116–117 and reading comprehension, 147–149 repetition and pattern manipulation, 27 verbal, 117 visual, 117 working memory networks, 48–49, 116, 147–148 mental models See visualization metacognition, 37, 155–156 middle school, vocabulary building, 123–124 mirror neuron activation, 12–14 mnemonics, 151–152 modeling comprehension strategies, 139–140 fluent reading, 57–58 note taking, 145–146 supportive reading, 58 motivation, student, 82–83, 84–85, 129 multiple intelligences and reading fluency, 62–65 and vocabulary building, 114–115, 118–119 music, 91 musical-rhythmic intelligence, 63 occipital lobes, 47 oral communication, oral reading in book reports, 74 choral reading, 59 and fluency, 47–48 guided rereading, 56–57 modeling fluent reading, 57–58 modeling supportive reading, 58 partner reading, 60–61 repeated reading, 54–55 stress reduction, 68–69, 79 student-adult reading, 59 tape-assisted reading, 61–62 Output Hypothesis, 92–93 naming practice, repeated, 52–53, 100 parents, advising, parietal lobe, 15 participation, student, 87–89 partner reading, 60–61, 74 patterning and brain plasticity, 35–36 categorization, 27–30, 103–105 computer-assisted, 42–44 prediction and previewing, 36–42 reading research on, 23 recognition strategies, 23–27 using learned patterns, 29–30 and vocabulary, 33–34 of vocabulary, 105–108 peer teaching, 143–144 people with differences, respecting, 57–58 personally meaningful experiences and reading comprehension, 138, 145 Index personally meaningful experiences (continued) vocabulary building, 101–102, 112–113 phonemic awareness activities that build, 19–21 neural mechanisms of, 16–18 phoneme-to-grapheme correspondence, 23–24, 25 phonics instruction, 7, 126 phonological processing, 18–19, 100 plasticity, brain, 35–36 positron emission tomography (PET) first research results from, 5–6 and parallel reading networks, 48–51 uses of, 2–3 prediction and patterning, 36–42 in reading, 133–134 prefrontal cortex, 50, 117 prefrontal lobe, 11, 22 prereading, 131–133 previewing activating prior knowledge, 129–130 previewing text, and patterning, 36–42 vocabulary word preview, 99–102 prior knowledge, activating, 129–130 puzzlemaker.com, 121 R.A.D., 79 rapid automatized naming (RAN), 17, 51–53 reading extensive exposure to, 122–123 goals, 132–133 independent, 121–123 individual variation in process, 12 interrelated phases of, 11 and phonological processing, 18–19 reading comprehension about, 126–127 decoding, 127, 128 graphic organizers for, 141–142 highlighting text, 152–155 independent activities, 144–145 literature logs, 144–145 memory and, 147–152 metacognition, 155–156 motivators, 129–130 note taking, 145–147 peer teaching, 143–144 predicting, 133–134 prereading, 131–133 reciprocal reading, 143 strategies, 135–139 strategy goals, 127–128 teacher modeling, 139–140 reading difficulties brain glitch theory of, and general intelligence, 17–18 incidence, reading out loud See oral reading The Reading Works (software), 66–67 reciprocal reading, 143 repeated reading, 54–55 repetition, 25–26 research, brain-based learning See brainbased learning research responses, to peer reading, 58, 61 Rizzollati, Giaccamo, 12 rote memorization, 98–99 scientific vocabulary, 34 screening, 24 self-monitoring, 138–139 sensory input and vocabulary building, 114 sequential learning, 90 skits, 75–76 software See computer software sound and hearing, 16 See also phonemic awareness spatial reasoning skills, 24 speech, processing See phonological processing speech synthesizers, 78 SSPC procedure, 61 story prediction activity, 38–42 story webs, 142 strategies, brain-based reading caution implementing, stress and fluency, 68–69, 79 and receptiveness, 87 and sensory input, 83, 85–86 173 174 TEACHING THE BRAIN TO READ student-adult reading, 59 students motivation, 82–83, 84–85, 129 participation, 87–89 self-confidence, 68–69 student-adult reading, 59 student-centered discussion, 69–71 student self-confidence, 68–69 studies, research, 44–46 summarization, 136–137 supramarginal temporal gyri, 15 synonyms, 114 tape-assisted reading, 61–62 teachers See also instructional strategies informed and qualified, modeling comprehension strategies, 139–140 technology computer adjuncts to fluency practice, 77–78 computer recording software, 62 computers and patterning skills, 42–44 computer software, 62, 66–67, 77–78 electronic whiteboards, 77 for reading fluency, 65–66 temporal lobe, 15, 47, 149 text selections, 85, 104, 126 thematic units, cross-curricular, 71–76 thesaurus use, 123 timelines, 141 total physical response (TPR), 87, 115 UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), 5–6 Venn diagrams, 141 ventral posterior processing system, 14–15 verbal fluency, 50 visual art activities, 24 visualization, for vocabulary building, 109–112 visual organizers, 30, 105 KWL, 39–42, 130, 133–134 reading comprehension, 141–142 visual organizers (continued) vocabulary building, 113–114 web sites for, 142 visual-spatial intelligence, 64 visual word form area (VWFA), 15 visual word pattern recognition, 14–15 vocabulary and patterning, 33–34 pre-instruction in reading, 131–132 student-centered discussion, 69–71 vocabulary gap, 80–81 vocabulary building about, 80, 124–125 and affective filtering, 85–91 brain processes in, 81–82 categorization and, 103–105 components, 82–83 and dopamine release, 93–98 graphic organizers, 113–114 high frequency words, 98–99 implicit learning through reading, 122–123 middle school, 123–124 and patterning, 105–108 personalization, 112–113 physical movement and, 114 reinforcement, 118 resonance through motivation, 82–83, 84–85 review, 118–122 roots, prefixes, and suffixes, 108–109, 124 sensory experiences and, 114 theories for, 91–93 visualization, 109–112 vocabulary-rich speaking, 115–116 word preview, 99–102 word maps, 113 word patterns, 25–26 word recognition speed, 51–54 working memory networks, 48–49, 116, 147–148 See also memory zones of actual development (ZAD), 143 zones of proximal development (ZPD), 31, 142 About the Author Dr Judy Willis, a board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher in Santa Barbara, California, has combined her training in neuroscience and neuroimaging with her teacher education training and years of classroom experience She has become an authority in the field of learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from this research After graduating Phi Beta Kappa as the first woman graduate of Williams College (in 1971), Willis attended UCLA School of Medicine, where she remained as a resident and ultimately became Chief Resident in Neurology She practiced neurology for 15 years, and then received a credential and master’s degree in education from the University of California, Santa Barbara She has taught in elementary, middle, and graduate schools; was a fellow in the National Writing Project; and currently teaches at Santa Barbara Middle School Her first book, Research Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning, was published by ASCD in 2006, and her second book, Brain-Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom, followed in 2007 Willis gives presentations throughout the world about brain research-based learning strategies, and her articles have been published in a multitude of magazines, journals, and newspapers 175 176 TEACHING THE BRAIN TO READ across the United States and internationally She is a member of the Hawn Foundation board of directors, and she travels around the world with actress Goldie Hawn to make presentations about mindful teaching and learning Willis writes a weekly wine column, and along with her husband, Dr Paul Willis, also a neurologist, makes prize-winning wine at home under the label Chateau Huit Feet, named in tribute to the eight feet of the Willis family that stomp the grapes You can contact her at jwillisneuro@aol.com or visit her Web site at RADTeach.com Related ASCD Resources: Literacy At the time of publication, the following resources were available; for the most up-to-date information about ASCD resources, go to www.ascd org ASCD stock numbers are noted in parentheses Mixed Media The Multiple Intelligences of Reading and Writing: Making the Words Come Alive Books-in-Action Package (10 Books and Video) by Thomas Armstrong (#703381) Using Data to Assess Your Reading Program (Book and CD-ROM) by Emily Calhoun (#102268) Networks Visit the ASCD Web site (www.ascd.org) and click on About ASCD Go to the section on Networks for information about professional educators who have formed groups around topics such as “Language, Literacy, and Literature” and “Brain-Compatible Learning.” Look in the Network Directory for current facilitators’ addresses and phone numbers Online Courses Visit the ASCD Web site (www.ascd.org) for the following professional development opportunities: Helping Struggling Readers by Kathy Checkley Six Research-Based Literacy Approaches for the Elementary Classroom by Kristen Nelson Successful Strategies for Literacy and Learning by Angelika Machi Print Products Building Student Literacy Through Sustained Silent Reading by Steve Gardiner (#105027) Educational Leadership, March 2004: What Research Says About Reading (Entire Issue #104028) Educational Leadership, October 2005: Reading Comprehension (Entire Issue #106037) Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction, Grades K–3 by Sharon Vaugh and Sylvia Linan-Thompson (#104134) Video Implementing a Reading Program in Secondary Schools (One 30-Minute Videotape with a Facilitator’s Guide #402033) The Lesson Collection: Literacy Strategies Tapes 49-56 (Eight 10- to 20-Minute Videotapes #405160) For more information, visit us on the World Wide Web (http://www ascd.org), send an e-mail message to member@ascd.org, call the ASCD Service Center (1-800-933-ASCD or 703-578-9600, then press 2), send a fax to 703-575-5400, or write to Information Services, ASCD, 1703 N Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714 USA JUDY WILLIS, M.D Education • Build phonemic awareness • Manipulate patterns to improve reading skills • Improve reading fluency • Combat the stress and anxiety that can inhibit reading fluency • Increase vocabulary • Overcome reading difficulties that can interfere with comprehension Teaching the Brain to READ Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension When is th es tor yt ak i ng WILLIS ? ce pla By enriching your understanding of how the brain processes language, emotion, and other stimuli, this book will change the way you understand and teach reading skills—and help all your students become successful readers READ As a classroom teacher who has also worked as a neurologist, Judy Willis offers a unique perspective on how to help students not only learn the mechanics of reading and comprehension, but also develop a love of reading She shows the importance of establishing a nonthreatening environment and provides teaching strategies that truly engage students and help them Teaching the Brain to Reading comes easily to some students, but many struggle with some part of this complex process that requires many areas of the brain to operate together through an intricate network of neurons in to i Ch TeachingBrain2Read.indd Browse excerpts from ASCD books: www.ascd.org/books Getting rie nce pe ex on d nd quickly tely a STUDY GUIDE ONLINE ords d se ba Alexandria, Virginia USA uc or ea a cur ac Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ins ies gor alread y have cate and graduate schools re n’s bra going back to school to become a teacher She has taught in elementary, middle, ld Barbara, California She was in private practice as a neurologist for 15 years before w ith hw yt xt te Judy Willis is a board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher in Santa y is t h e a bilit Fluenc ba ck gro und , previo knowledg us p nd e, a t as 7/18/08 10:57:48 AM .. .Teaching the Brain to READ JUDY WILLIS, M.D Teaching the Brain to READ Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension Association for Supervision and Curriculum... classroom strategies for teaching the many components of reading TEACHING THE BRAIN TO READ What Research to Trust? The increasing scientific knowledge about the physiology of how the human brain. .. animals, or toy vehicles, and have students work in pairs to sort them into categories and then name the categories What characteristic of the items did they use to put them into a grouping together?